Means for upholstering furniture



Aug. 17, 1943. 4 P. STADTLER 2,327,143

MEANS FOR UPHOLSTERING FURNITURE Filed July 22, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR.

Paul St [la v f W ATTORNEYS P. STADTLER MEANS FOR UPHOLSTERING FURNITURE Aug. 17, 1943.

Filed July 22, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 17, 1943 MEANS FOR IJJPHOLSTERING FURNITURE Paul Stadt1er,-Flushing, N. Y., assignor to Neversag Products, Inc., Flushing, N. Y., a corpora tion of New York Application July 22, 1941; Serial No. 403,545

' '8 Claims. (01. 254-79) This invention relates generally to the upbolstering of furniture and more particularly it relates totools for use in applying lacing strips to furniture.

V More specifically it relates to a tool for stretching and for holding stretched a lacing strip while it is being attached to the furniture frame, and

coordinately therewith it relates to a' tool for use in seating the furniture springs on the lacing strips.

The general objects of my invention are the provision of simple and effective. tools for applying lacing strips to furniture.

Among the more particular objects of my invention are the provision for use in applying lacing strips to furniture of a tool for stretching a lacing strip and for holdingit stretched while the lacing strip is being attached to a piece of furniture, the provision of atool for use with either flat or recessed furniture frames to'stretch lacing strips to be applied thereto, the provision of a tool for stretching a lacing strip by the application of a force that may differ in direction and in magnitude from the direction of the'stretching force, and further the provision of a tool for stretching lacing strips that may be controlledby the body, leaving the hands free ,for all operations other than stretching.

I These objects and such other objects as will hereinafter appear or be pointed out, are attained in the illustrative embodimentsof my invention. shown in the drawings, in which:'

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tool for stretching lacing strips, constructed in accordance with my invention; Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof;

, Figure 3'is a section on'the broken line 33 Figure 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows, and showing a pin associated with the tool .Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational View of one end of the tool of Figure 1';

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view :substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portiono he gripping head of the tool; Y Figures 7 and 8 are respectively plan and elevational views showing one manner of using my improved lacing stretcher, this manner being particularly adapted'for furniture having a flat frame; I q r Figures 9 and lO are respectively planand elevational views illustrating another manner of using my improved stretcher, this manner being particularly adapted for furniture having a recessed frame; and

[Figures 11 and 12 are respectively elevational and plan views of an improved tool formanipulating furniture springs in the operations associated with the application of lacing strips to furniture and the seating of said springs on the lacing strips.

In attaching lacing strips of the character described in the U; S. Patent #1981030, it is customaryto fasten the end of a lacing strip to one sicie of the furniture frame as by nailing it theretofand thereafter secure another portion of the lacing strip to the opposite side of the furniture 7 frame and cut off the excess portion. The lacing strip thus applied must be given a tensionbefore it is secured so that it will support the springs which rest on it, and through which pressure from the furniture seat is transmitted to the lacing strip, Since the fastening must take place while the lacing strip is under tension, it will be obvious that it is highly inconvenient if not impossible for a single operator to use his hands both for tensioning and for attaching-the lacing strip to the furniture frame; By the use of my improved tool, however, thetensioning is effected by portions of the operators body entirelyindependently of his hands therebyleaving his hands free for the attaching operation. l

My improved lacing stretcher in the illustrative embodiment shown by 'way of example in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is designated generally by A and comprises a handle HI having a head or body I I from 'which spring a pair of legs l2 and IS. The handle is made of any suitable or preferred material, the qualities desiredin such material being rigidity, strength and lightness. In the practical application of my invention I have found wood to be satisfactory for this purpose. The head portion H of the handle 13 is preferably made of suiilcient thickness to perform its function as will hereinafter be described. Where the handle is made of wood or similar material such thickening is conveniently effected by attaching a block I4 to the head portion H, which i has the'effect' of thickening this portion without atthe same time thickening the leg portions 12 and 13, in which thicknessis not needed. The

block 14 maybe attached to the handle w in any suitable-or preferred manner such as by screws 15. The end portions of the head H and the block M are rounded, as indicated at li and this rounding is conveniently contoured substantially along a circular are or arcs, as shown in the drawings, in which also the block I4 is shown by portion or apron 53 which extends beyond the block I l.

A lacing strip gripping device B is shown care ried by what may be termed the upper surface of the tool and this device is shown as comprising a" base block H) (see Figures 5, '6), to which is pivotally secured, as by a pin 28, a gripping member or jaw2l, both the jaw and the base block being provided with complementary portions adapted to coact to grip the lacing strip.

The base block I 9, which is shown in perspective in Figure 6, is provided in its illustrative embodiment, with a base plate 22 having a transverse rib 23 thereon. The rib 23 is interrupted, as shown at 25 to permit the accommodation thereover of portions of the lacingstrip, where this has a configuration such as indicated in broken lines at K in Figures 4 and 6.

At one side of the base plate 22 is shown an upstanding wall 26 from which projects a lug 21 that overhangs the plate 22 and is provided with a recess 28. g

The jaw 2| has an extension 233 that is adapted to fit .into the recess 28, and it is pivotally mounted on the lug 2'! by the aforesaid pin 20 which passes through .a bore or bores 39 in the lug, and a bore 3! in the jaw 2%. The extension 29 is cut away at its end portion so as to provide a space within which is positioned resilient means, such as a coil spring 32, this means seating in the recess 23 and serving to urge theextension 29 away from thelug 27, whereby the body portion of the law 2! is urged towards the plate 22 and whereby ribs or corrugations 33 on the jaw, which are complementary to the rib 23 of the plate 22 and to the ribs and valleys of the lacing strip, serve to grip the said strip 'securely, this gripping action being made automatic by the action of spring 32. v I

In Figure 4, I have'indicated the manner in which the device B, just described, grips a lacing strip K. In Figure 3, I have shown the jaw 21 in full lines in its gripping position and in broken lines in a raised position in which it does not engage the lacing strip, so that the latter may be removed from the gripping device B by raising it from its seat on the plate 22.

At 34, I have shown ribs provided on the under surface of plate 22 for the purpose, of biting into the wood of the handle and holding the plate against turning when it is secured to the handle. For the purpose of so securing it, I have shown,

laterally.

the tool against his body so that the tool projects forwardly therefrom, with the surfaces 41 and 48 pressing against his body, the gripping means B is adapted to receive the free ends of the lacing strip and may be tensioned by movements of the operators body, and as Will be explained subsequently, while his hands are at the same time free to perform the cutting and nailing operation; As will also appear hereinafter the space 49 between the legs l2 and I3 of the stretching tool may serve the purpose of permitting the nailing operation therewithin. v I

In Figures 7 and 8, I have attempted to illustrate theoperation of applying a lacing strip L to a fiat. furniture frame F. The lacing strip L is shown having one end thereof nailed in place on the furniture frame F, as shown at 50. The lacing strip'gripping device B is shown engaging a portion of the lacing strip, and it will be observed that the tool A is in such a position that the padding ii on it end portions engages the side of the fram'e'F. Due to the curved contour of said padding the tool may be rocked about its point of contact with the furnitureframe'laterally as well as up and down, To effect such rocking it is merely necessary for the operator to sway his body from sideto side or to move it up and down, and the hands of the operator are at all times free to carry on'the operation of nailing or other required operations. It will be observed that the tension on the lacing strip may be either increased or decreased in accordance with the direction of movementof the operators'body.

In the operation of applying the lacing strip L to. the furniture frame F, the strip willfirsthave its free end attached to the-frame as at; 50, and willthen be gripped by the deviceB with the tool in such a position that there is no tension on the strip L. Sucha position may be attained by placing the end of the tool-in contact with the side of the furnituieframein a position in which it is angled upwardly and, if desired, also angled On straighteningout the tool as by movingit'from'the dot and'dash line position of Figure '7 to the full line'position therein, tension 7 may be applied to th strip L and still more ten- ,"sion may be applied by moving it from the upper by way of eXample aV screw 35, which passes through the handle l0 and into a'threadedobore 35 in the plate 22. V

In each of the legs l2 and i3 is provided a set of spaced openings-45 and it into each of which may be inserted a pin-M- for apurpose that will presently appear. The pin 44 preferably fits snugly into the openings and is. of such length as to project beyond the surface of thetool as appears from Figures 3 and 10. Each leg l2 and I3 is provided at its eXtremeend portion with a surface, such as t! and liii, contoured so asto be adapted to engage the front portion of thewaist of an operator. When the operator places dot and dash' line position of Figure 8 to the lower dot and dash line position in the same figure. Vhen sufficient tension has been applied theoperatordrives'nails'through the lacing strip and into the'furniture frame at the point 5! and thereafter cuts off the strip to, the required length.

In Figures 9 and 10, the operation. of fastening a lacing strip M to a recessed furniture frame G is shown. One end of the lacing strip is nailed in place in the recess R, of the frame G as indicated'at 52, and the lacing strip is gripped'by the device B of the tool A, as before. However, it will be observed that in Figures 8 and 10, the tool is used in an'inverted position, as contrasted with-Figures '7' and 8, and with the gripping device B positioned inside the frame instead ofoutside of I it. The-tensi-oning is effected by inserting a pair'of pins M into the openings 45, 46- of the tool while the'tool is in an upwardly angled position. asishown in Figural-9. fOn moving the tool from :the dot and dash line position of Figure 10 into the full line position of said Y 9. Assuming that the tilting ha been effected about a pin 44 in the lower leg l3 in Figure 9, as indicated by the broken lines, it will be observed that a pin 44 in the leg !2, on the completion of the angling movement as shown therein, will have moved away from the engagement with the side of the furniture frame. If the angling movement is sufficiently great the upper pin 44 may be withdrawn from the tool and put into thenext one of the holes 45, as indicated in the full line position, whereby the tool will be prevented from returning to the broken line position of Figure 9. By alternating th angling between the legs 12 and 13, any desired degree of tension may be imparted to the lacing strip M.

It; will be understood from this description that the lacing strip is conveniently tensioned by manipulation such as described. When sufiicient tension has been applied the nailing operation is performed as indicated at 53, the strip having previously been cut to the requisite length.

It will be observed that the space 49 between the legs 12 and [3 of the tool is so situated that the nailing operation just mentioned may be effected therewithin.

The lacing strip serves as a seat for furniture springs, each of which seats on a pair of lacing strips crossing each other at an angle, usually a right angle. (See U. S. Patent #1,982,030.)' In order to secure such seating easily and conveniently I may use a tool T, an illustrative embodiment of which is shown in Figures 11 and 12. This tool comprises an elongated handle portion 10 carrying a pin H at one end thereof, this pin having its free end 12 offset axially from the handle 10, while its inner portion extends angularly into -the handle. The end 12 may be inserted into openings or may engage and bend,

portions of the furniture springs.

A groove 14 is shown in the illustrative em bodiment of Figures 11 and 12 as extending transversely across the handle 10 adjacent one end of the tool T and it will be observed that it is situated at the same end as the pin H. 14 opens laterally as shown at 15 so that intermediate portions of a furniture spring may be inserted thereinto and then manipulated by movement of the tool. A'closed bore 11 is also provided in the tool and this is adapted to receive an end of a furniture spring. .This bore is conveniently located; as shown in the drawings,

adjacent the groove 14.

At the other end of the tool is shown a transverse bore 16 which may be usedto receiv an 'end of a furniture spring and will permit the tool to slide to intermediate portions of the spring.

Further description of the use of the tool shown in Figures 11 and 12 is believed to be unnecessary as its use will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

While I have herein shown and described several illustrative embodiments of my invention and explained their use, it will be understood that my invention may be embodied in many other forms without departing from the spirit thereof, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. It will further be understood that the disclosures herein are by way of illustration merely and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense, and that I do not limit myself other than as called for by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

This groove with a portion adapted to engage a furniture frame and to be rockable thereon, means for engaging a lacing strip carried by said head, a pair of spaced legs extending from said head, said legs being provided with surfaces adapted to be engaged by a portion of the bodyof an operator, whereby said operator may rock said tool and move said lacing strip engaging means so as to stretch the lacing strip,

2. In a, tool for stretching lacing strips when applying them to furniture, means for engaging a lacing strip, means adapted for engagement by the body of an operator, and means intermediate said lacing strip engaging means and said body engaging means for contacting a furniture frame and serving as a fulcrum about which said tool may be angled when said body engaging means 7 is moved.

3. In a tool for stretching lacing strips when applying them to furniture, means for engaging a lacing strip, means adapted for engagement by the body of an operator, and means intermediate said lacing strip engaging means and said body engaging means for contacting a furniture frame and serving as a fulcrum about which said tool may be angled when said body engaging means is moved, said furniture frame contacting means being in the form of a pair of pins and a plurality of seats for each of said pins on said tool in each of which seats a pin may be removably received, and the seats for one pin being laterally spaced from the seats for the other pin.

4. In a tool of the character set forth in claim 1, a series of spaced openings in each of said legs into which a pin may be inserted, such pin when inserted being adapted to engage the side of a furniture frame and to act as a fulcrum about which the tool may be angled.

5. In a tool of the character set forth in claim 1, means carried by each of said legs at an intermediate portion thereof adapted to engage a furniture frame and to serve as a fulcrum about which said tool may be angled.

1. In a tool for stretching lacing strips when 7 6. In a tool for stretching a lacing strip, means for gripping a lacing strip, a plurality of means at one end of said tool adapted to engage the furniture frame and to serve as a fulcrum about which the tool may be angled, and means at the other end of the tool for engagement by the body for angling said tool about said fulcrum by movement of the body, and means intermediate said first named means and said last named means to engage the frame of recessed furniture and serve to fulcrum the tool for stretching by movement of the body.

' '7. A tool for stretching furniture lacing strips during the process of applying them to furniture, said tool comprising a convexly contoured head, a lacing strip gripping device mounted on said head, and a pair of legs extending in spaced parallel direction from said head and each provided with surfaces adapted to seat on the waist of an operator.

8. In a tool for stretching lacing strips when applying them to furniture, a head provided with aportionadapted to engage a furniture frame and to be rockable thereon,'means for engaging a lacing strip carried by said head, said head being provided with surfaces adapted to be engaged by a portion'of the body of an operator, whereby said operator may rock said tool and move said lacing strip engaging means so as to stretch the lacing strip.

PAUL 'STADTLER. 

